TRUMP’S GOLFING HABITS TO CLOSE PART OF RIVER USED BY DISABLED VETERANS FOR RECOVERY

The golfing habits of President Donald Trump will cause periodic closings of a section of the Potomac River used by disabled veterans and others according to the Washington Post.

“Citing security concerns, the Coast Guard says it isadopting a policyof periodically cutting off access to roughly two miles of the Potomac where it borders Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Va.”

The Coast Guard will close these sections to the public, something that is particularly harmful to a group of U.S. veterans who use this portion of the river to bond and exercise together. “It’s just heartbreaking,” said John Deitle, 41, a former Marine who served a combined five tours in Afghanistan and Iraq and receives treatment at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for lung problems he says are related to chemical exposure… Deitle paddles on this stretch of the Potomac with Team River Runner, a nonprofit that helps wounded veterans. On Sunday afternoon, he stood in a life vest at his put-in point on Seneca Creek, a faded tattoo saying “Teufel Hunden” — “Devil Dog,” a Marine nickname — showing on one of his bare upper arms. Granted, it’s his golf course,” Deitle said. “But he has other golf courses.”

The President’s golfing habits don’t only affect disabled veterans, they also affect Olympic level athletes and people who just enjoy nature.

“It’s a sharing culture out here, and it feels strange to have somebody not sharing,” said Ashley Nee, a kayaker who competed for Team USA at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro and is training for 2020 on the affected stretch of river.”